Educational device.



J. H. FOX.

EDUCATIONAL DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.10, 1911.

1,041,059. Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

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JOHN H. FOX, 01? BEREA, OHIO.

EDUCATIONAL DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15,1912.

Application filed November 10, 1911. Serial No. 659,558.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. Fox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berea, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Educational Devices, of, which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to educational toys for children adapted to assist them in learning to spell, as well as to entertain them.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide such a device in a form which shall be very attractive to a child and shall have a capacity for the spelling of a number of words or for the entertaining arrangement of figures or various representations.

Another object is to provide the device in such form that both sides will be active, thereby doubling the capacity.

Another object is to provide the device in a form which, while being very cheaply constructed, will be very durable.

I accomplish the above objects by providing a holder having an inner and an outer rim providing between them an annular passageway and providing cross holders within the inner rim and communicating with the annular passageway, there being a series of double-headed buttons carried by the device and adapted to be shifted around in the various passageways, these buttons carrying distinguishing marks on the opposite faces, as letters, numerals, representations, etc. The particular form in which 1 have embodied this as shown inthe drawing is also comprised within my invention.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan of one face of my educational device embodied in a preferred form; Fig. 2 is a portion of a plan of the opposite face; Fig. 3 is a diametric cross section, as indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a cross section through one of the intermediate passageways, as indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the parts by reference numerals, 10 indicates the outer rim of the holding device, which is shown as a strip of metal formed into a circle with its ends riveted or otherwise secured together, as shown at 11. 12 indicates the inner rim member. This is also shown as a continuous strip of metal. A considerable portion of this strip is bent into a circular course parallel with and some distance inside of the rim 10. Portions of the rim 12, however, are bent transversely to provide lateral. passageways communicating with the annular passageway between the two circular rims. Thus, in the form shown, at the diameter of the device is a central passageway provided by two portions 13 of the inner rim extended from the rim at one side parallel with the diameter until their connecting portion 14 abuts the rim at the other side. Similarly, on opposite sides of this central passageway 13 are passageways 15 and 16 formed by bending in the opposite side portions of the inner rim in two parallel strips, which are connected by portions 17 and 18 which abut the inner rim. The ends 14, 17 and 18 of the cross holders are secured to the inner rim, which they abut, by rivets, or any other suitable manner.

The outer and inner rims are connected by suitable U-shaped cross braces indicated by 20. These braces are shown as having legs 21 (Fig. 3) engaging the outer face of the outer rim and the inner face of the inner rim to which they are respectively riveted. Then the legs turn outwardly,as shown at 22, and then continue parallel with the portions 21, as shown at 23, the intermediate connection portion 24 being fiat and parallel with the edges of the rims. As shown in Fig. 3, the end portion 14; of the diametric holder abuts the inner rim between one of the legs 21 and such inner rim, and one rivet 25 holds all these parts together. A similar U-shaped brace 20 conmeets the two portions 13 near the point where they turn inwardly from the inner run.

It will be seen from the above described construction that I have provided a very simple holder made of metal and having an annular passageway and a series of transverse passageways communicating therewith. These passageways are occupied by a series of buttons designated 30. The buttons are perferably I-shaped in cross section The intermediate ing apart the two bars of one of the transverse passageways, as, for example, the bars 13 near the center of the holder.

On the faces of the buttons 30 are formed suitable distinguishing characteristics. For example, on one side of the device the buttons may preferably carry simply letters,

there being one complete alphabet and additional letters which are frequently used in spelling. The other face of the buttons may have printed on them numerals or representations. Such representations may be accompanied by a word descriptive of them. It is tobe understood that the printing on the face of the buttons may be varied, as desired. I have shown the buttons as having square faces, which is convenient, but this may-also be varied, as desired. By having the shanks of the buttons narrow in one direction and wide in the other, as heretofore described, the buttons are normally prevented from rotating, but they may be turned at the entrance to any transverse passageway, the inner rim being sufficiently rounded where the transverse passageway leaves it to provide an easy turning space.

The cross braces 20 and 20 form six feet, three on each side of the holder and adapted to conveniently support it, whichever side is uppermost with the lower face of the buttons above'the supporting plane. The enlargement of these U-shaped cross braces enables the buttons to be easily passed through them. Accordingly, the buttons may be shifted about to spell words, as desired, in the various transverse passageways, and by simply turning the device over, the numerals or other figures may be arranged in any desired order.

The great capacity for various arrangements of the letters and figures is one of the attractive features of my device, as monotony is thus obviated and the childs interestis maintained, and furthermore, the device is strong and will stand rough usage and there is nothing about it to get out of order.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an educational device, the combination, with a holder having a continuous annular passageway and communicating cross passageways, of a series of double-faced buttons occupying such passageways and shiftable along them into varying relation with each other, each button having designations on its respective faces.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of an outer annular rim and an inner rim having port-ions parallel therewlth, a transverse passageway leading inward-from the inner rim and communicating with the space between the rims, isolated cross braces between the outer and inner rim,

"and double faced buttons slidable in the space between the rims and into and out of the transverse passageway and exposed to view on both sides of the device.

3. In an educational device, the combination of an outer circular rim, an inner rim spaced therefrom and having portions parallel therewith and provided with a lateral passageway, and double-faced buttons slidable in the space between the rims and into such transverse passageways.

4. The combination of an outer rim,an inner rim, U-shaped separated braces connecting the two, and double-headed buttons slidable in the space between the rimsand adapted to pass through the braces.

5. The combination of an outer rim, an inner rim, means for holding the two properly spaced apart, the inner rim being bent laterally to provide a transverse passageway communicating therewith, the extreme end of said transverse passageway being secured to the inner face of the inner rim, and devices slidable in the passageways thus provided.

6. The combination of a circular outer rim, an inner rim circular for the most part but bent inward to provide a transverse passageway communicating with the space between the rims, and braces connecting the two rims.

7. The combination of a circular outer rim, an inner rim circular for the most part but bent inward to provide a transverse passageway communicating with the space between the rims, and braces connecting the two rims and projecting on both faces of the device to provide feet for it, whichever side is uppermost.

8. The combination of a circular outer rim, an inner rim circular for the most part but bent inward to provide a transverse passageway communicating with the space between the rims braces connectin the two rims, and double-headed buttons occupying the space between the rims or the transverse passageway, the braces being U-shaped and extended on opposite sides of the annular passageway to allow the heads of the buttons.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a continuous outerrim, an inner rim having intermediate portions passage of thef bent to provide lateral passageways 'communicating with the space between the rims, one passageway communicating with the space on one side and the next passageway with the space on the other side, theends'cf such inward bent portions being securedto f the inner face of the inner rim, braces connectlng the two rims, and double-headed buttons whose shanks occupy the spaceibetween the rims and whose heads lie on opposite sides of the device.

10. In a device of the character described, I V

the combination of a continuous outer rim,

an inner rim having intermediate portions bent to provide lateral passageways communicating with the space between the rims, one passageway communicating with the space on one side and the next passageway with the space on the other side, the ends of such inward bent ortions being secured to t the inner face of t e inner rim, braces connecting the two rims, double-headed buttons whose shanks occupy the space between the rims and whose heads lie on opposite sides of the device, the braces connecting the rims spreading in opposite directions to allow the passage of the heads with the buttons, some of said braces projecting from one face of the device and others from the opposite face, and the braces providing feet for holding the device whichever side is uppermost.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of an outer rim of metal, a metal inner rim partly parallel with the outer rim and partly bent intermediately to provide transverse parallel passageways communicating with the annular space between the rims, means for holding the two rims properly spaced from each other, and double-headed buttons slidable in the space between the rims and into the passageways and having one head on one side of the device and the other head on the other, there being letters on one of such heads and suitable devices on the other.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of an outer rim, an inner rim connected therewith and spaced therefrom, said inner rim being bent to provide lateral passageways, and a series of doublefaced buttons occupying the passageways between the rims and adapted to he slid into the transverse passageways, said buttons having the cross section of the letter I, the shank of the button having one dimension less than the distance across the passageway, the other dimension greater than such distance whereby the buttons may be freely shifted but are normally held from turning, there being sutlicient space where the transverse passageway joins the inner rim to allow such turning.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination of a double-faced holder having an annular passageway and a trans- \erse passageway communicating therewith by rounded corners, and a series of doubleheaded buttons occupying the passageways and extending onto opposite sides thereof, said buttons having shanks transversely longer than the normal width of the passageways, whereby rotation of the buttons is normally prevented, there being space by reason of the rounded corners where the t'ansverse passageway joins the annular passageway to allow such rotation.

14. In a device of the character described,

a holder made of metal comprising an outer circular rim, an inner rim made of a strip bent to present a circular course, and a series of transverse double-walled passageways, the ends of which abut and are secured to the inner sides of the inner rim, such transverse passageways extending alternately on opposite sides of the inner rim, cross braces securing the two rim members together and being flared and extending on opposite sides of the device to provide feet, whichever side is uppermost, and double-headed buttons whose shanks occupy the annular or transverse passageways and whose heads are adapted to pass through the braces, and suitable designations on both faces of the 30 buttons.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in the presenceof two witnesses.

JOHN H. FOX.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. BATES, BRENNAN B. WVEs'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

